THE MCJ

We should live so long to see that oped.

With guests wandering about, alcoholic beverages in hand, before a seated dinner for 1,000 in the nave, a sound-and-light show worthy of the Great Pyramids at Giza, and Aaron Neville singing "Chain Gang" and "It's All Right" from a makeshift stage, the capital's most famous church was not only celebrating its centenary but making history yet again.

Sacrilege, you might say? Not according to the venerable cleric in charge, who stoutly defended the departure from the norm with chapter and verse about the role similar sanctuaries have played throughout history.

"This night is the reclaiming of an ancient tradition by gathering as much of life as we can under this roof," said Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III, noting that medieval folk were "just as likely to see a produce monger or even a pig as they were a worshipper marching up the aisles."

To say nothing of doing God's work, added Episcopal Bishop of Washington John Bryson Chane, especially when the purpose was "to gather people and revenue to support and sustain the cathedral's mission."

Keep in mind that Sammy is the one who insisted on a reading from the Koran at his installation (just doing the inclusive thing, don't ya know). And the Chaner's a good liberal -- he'll tell any audience what he thinks they want to hear.

The Jim-lad is nothing more than the useful idiot mouthpiece on the close, and boy does he play the part well.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch -- is it just me, or did'nt that Jesus guy have something to say about the money-changers in the temple (and what would he have said about Happy Hour)? And what would he have to say about spiritually bankrupt guys like Sammy and the Chaner being allowed in the door, let alone running the place?

As their demented demands become more shrill and absurd, there will come a backlash from the people who really have been gay-bashers (as in, bashing in their heads). And they will, undoubtedly blame Christians.

The central locus is the blessed assurance of their innate righteousness and the inherent wrongness of their opponents. Khatami was invited because he is a third world opponent of Chimpy W. McHallibushitler's Imperium. The fact he's was a faux moderate Muslim was a delightful interfaith bonus. Khatami's (and Iran's) bloody-mindedness on homosexuality was wholly irrelevant. The fact Chane & Co. can't tell a hadith from a hotplate was also wholly irrelevant. Khatami assured them of their righteousness on foreign policy and interfaith dialogue. The event was something they could use to celebrate their own rightness. Period. End bracket.

Likewise, the trumpeting of "full equality" for sexually-active homosexuals. I find it impossible to believe that the issue is all that deeply felt by most heterosexual TEC leftists. Especially with all of the tubthumping about the dispute distracting them from "the real work of the [social] gospel." For once, I take them at their word--the latter is more critical. The MDGs [pbut], etc., are another emblem of their own righteousness. Likewise their support for gay causes, except that the latter is more akin to ribbon-wearing support than anything else. It's just another example of how right they are, and how much you need to grow so that one day you'll be just like them.